The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-05-12
THE SUNNY SOUTH.

AN INTERESTING INTERVIEW
WITH A FORMER RoCHES-
TERRAIN.
Events that have Transpired Since the
War-Commercia Status of North
Standardization Capital In !
vested.
Rochester. On. Y.) Union and Advertiser
Mr.. C. W. Edgcumbe, formerly ot
this city and now resident of Blue
Wing, Granville county, N. c., arrived
here from that place last week and is
stopping at the residence of his brother,
| ]. O. Edgcumbe, on Plymouth avenue.
He will remain here a few weeks, re-
newing his old acquaintance, and
transact some business, upon which
mission he came here. Mr.. Edgcumbe
is a man possessed of unusual ability
and intelligence, and gentleman in
every respect. His conversation is
that of well-culture6 and refined
person and the many incidents of his
Southern life were related to the news
| gatherer in very interesting and
pleasant manner. He received his
early education in this city as a pupil
of Prof. Hale's classical school. AS a
stenographer Mr.. Edgcumbe was very
succussful, and was classed among the
leading stenographers of the State.
The following was the result of the in
terview, in which many interesting
facts were given by Mr.. Edgcumbe in
reply to questions asked:
/ "Will you speak of incidents that
have transpired in the South since the
warp"
ga residence of several years in the
South enables me to speak of the pc
culiar transformation which has taken
place there from the antebellum days
to the present; to the observing it is
as phenomenal as it is gratifying. Re-
turning from the horrid scenes of hos
tile warfare-from the very humllla-
ting scenes of defeat and surrender
through the broad acres of devastation
and desolation TO homes lain waste by
wanton invasion-by the cruelties and
partial necessities of civil strife-the
veomandry of the South with family
and social ties broken, with dark de
spair all around, they commenced
anew, although their hopes were blasted
and prosperous future matter o
dire uncertainty. No sooner had ths
soil commenced to be titled and th'
IsoCial fabric reared than the dark ant
dismal days of reconstruction set IL
with all the attendant evils, and huns
over the fair fields and depopulatee
towns of the once favored sunny Soutl
like murky clouds on summers day
Oppressed by obnoxious laws admins
tered by potvaliant officials with malic
intent, brow-beated by the military t
| ignominious subjugation, their lot wa
such that it was almost unbearable
with little to live and less to hope fol
, After the days of the pusilanimous car
, pet-bagger the federal Offices were in
5 trusted into the hands of those who's
! inborn sympathies to say the least
were with the common people. The
had some of the commendable in
stincts of humanity which were genel
ally wanting in their predecessor:
whose mission was political advance
ment or pecuniary gain. They love
and honored their native land an
t their people; evinced true regard fo
the advancement Of the best interest
: of the people; possessed efficiency an
, used the proper discretion in the dis
charge of delegated powers. Malad
y ministration directly succeeding tn
}, suspension of hostilities, both as re
CARDS County and State, retarded
: progressive era, and not only this, sim
y ply, but it piled up such an enormor
: debt that the taxpayers are laboring
this day looking to its liquidation.
1t commercially speaking, what
North Cardinals status?'
"At the time the dominant party /
North Carolina obtained control of tn
State, several years ago they wei
/. brought tace to face with monstrol
Indebtedness, the direct result of reci
r. less. invidious and extravagant leglsls
d ton. Utter bankruptcy would hay
followed a continuation of such a stat
of things. Economical adminlstratio
of affairs charterized the action of tt
!" succeeding party, and after seekln
they obtained the good will of the ta'
payers. They have reduced the de-
verv materially, and to-day North Ca
q olira bonds consolidated are quote
r. in New York at IoI. Never in its hi
tory has North Carolina prospered
- she is to-day"
l. ."Is there much Northern capital b
Il ing invested in Southern enterprises
y Comparatively speaking, a We
y large amount. 1t was some years aft
the war that capital sought investme
South, owing principally to the unce
S, tainty of life and property. No ma
as ter what the proposition, capital W
r, timid and, perhaps, overcautious. I
Il entirely different feeling is paramou
Y. o-day, as evidenced by the continu
Ne immigration and varied investmen
t Northern capital is exclusively beI
used all over the South in developi